Design of Butler Matrix Integrated with Antenna
Array for Beam Forming
Fitri Yuli Zulkifli1, Nurul Chasanah2, Basari3, dan Eko Tjipto Rahardjo4
1,2,3,4
Antenna, Propagation and Microwave Research Group (AMRG)
Dept. of Electrical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Universitas Indonesia
Kampus Baru UI Depok, Indonesia
Email : yuli@eng.ui.ac.id, nurul.chasanah@ui.ac.id, basyarie@eng.ui.ac.id, eko@eng.ui.ac.id
Abstract—This paper presents a 4x4 Butler matrix as a
beamforming network that is combined with a 4-elements linear
aperture coupled antenna arrays to produce four narrow
steerable beams. The designed array is aimed to obtain a
operating frequency at 2350 MHz for LTE applications by using
the Advance Design System (ADS) and CST Microwave Studio.
The measurement result shows that the bandwidth for each port
is more than 100 MHz. the isolation between ports in the range
frequency 2.3 – 2.4 GHz is more than 20 dB. When port 1, 2, 3, or
4 is activated, the beamwidth of the array is 33.8°, 39.8°, 40.3° and
35.6° with the gain is about 6.11 dBi, 3.94 dBi, 4 dBi, and 6.05 dBi,
respectively. The main beam of the array in azimuth direction is
tilted to -20°, 40°, -40°, and 20° for respective input port.
Keywords: Antenna array, Butler matrix, beam forming, switched
beam system
I. INTRODUCTION
Smart antenna is one of the most potential technologies that
will enable a higher capacity in wireless networks by
effectively reducing multipath and co-channel interference.
This is achieved by focusing the radiation only to the desired
direction and adjusting itself to changing traffic conditions or
signal environments. Smart antennas employ a set of radiating
elements arranged in the form of an array. Basically, there are
two types of smart antenna system, the switched beam system
and adaptive array system [1].
The topic of switched beam antenna as a smart
antenna has been discussed because it is easy to be
implemented and low costas compared to adaptive antenna
array. Unlike the adaptive antenna, switched beam antenna
only constructed by a number of radiating elements, a beam
forming network and RF switches [2] while adaptive array
systems offer more intelligent operation and requireadvanced
signals processing [3].Switched beam systems are antenna-
array systems that form multiple-fixed beams with enhanced
sensitivity in a specific area. This antenna system detects
signal strength, selects one of the several fixed beams, and
switches from one beam to another as the user moves [4].
In the switched beam system, there are some techniques to
constructed analog beam forming network, such as Blas
matrix, Rotmans lens, Nolen matrix, and Butler matrix [5].
One of the most common technique used in switched beam
system with linear array antenna is the Butler matrix because it
is simple, able to generates high directivity orthogonal narrow
beamwidth [6] and it can achieve continuous beam scanning
without any mechanical motion [7].It also does not utilize any
ISAP2015
active devices such as PIN diodes to maintain low cost.The
Butler matrix is a passive feed network which utilizes hybrid
couplers, phase shifters and crossovers to provide differential
phase shifts at the input of antenna elements in the array [1].
There are some researches about smart antenna system. In
[8], a smart antenna system with 4x4 Butler matrix that has
coverage area 120° and microstrip patch antenna array is
designed for 5.25 GHz Wi-Fi band with sidelobe level -10 dB
and return loss below -20 dB. In [9], a smart antenna array
with its similar design to [8] worked in 2.4 GHz ISM band and
obtained an array gain of ~11dB and return loss of -33dB.
Meanwhile, in [10] a 60 GHz patch antenna array for WiGig
application is demonstrated with gain between 7-9dB and
return loss better than -10dB.All designs proposed in [8–10]
have 4 input ports and generate 4 different beam orientations
with coverage area 120°.
In Indonesia, 4G TDD – LTE is allocated in 40 and 41
band at frequency range of 2300 – 2400 MHz and 2496 – 2690
MHz. Both bands are also covering 2.4 GHz ISM band for Wi
– Fi application.
In this paper, abeam forming network using Butler matrix
is designed to operate at 2.35 GHz and integrated to an
aperture coupled antenna array. The design is conducted using
Advance Design System (ADS) simulator and CST Microwave
Studio Simulator 2014.
II. BUTLER MATRIX INTEGRATED WITH ANTENNA ARRAY
For design of the Butler matrix, the major components,
such as, hybrid coupler, crossover, and phase shifter, needs to
be designed and analized separately.
A. 4x4 Butler Matrix Design
The designed 3-dB hybrid coupler, crossover, and phase
shifter are combined together to achieve a 4x4 Butler matrix
using single-layer microstrip line, as shown in Fig. 1, with a
total area of 16×28 cm. This structure was implemented and
simulated using ADS software. The distance between output
ports is arranged to qualify as the effective distance of antenna,
for this case the distance is 0.5λ between outputs.
55 Copyright (C) 2015 IEICE
 The simulated transmission coefficients are around -9 dB.
The value of 9 dB means that the power of the port 1 has been
divided equally between the four output ports. The isolation of
port 1 when the other input ports are matched with a resistance
of 50 Ω, is shown in Fig. 2(b). It can be noted that the isolation
losses between input ports is better than -25 dB from 2.3 GHz
to 2.5 GHz.

B. Butler matrix integrated with Antenna Array Design

The single element of the aperture coupled antenna has
been designed in [11] with the dielectric constant is 4 and 0.2
for loss tangent. The antenna design using FR4 substrate
consists of 2 layers with different thickness of 1.6 mm and 0.8
mm. The Butler matrix that has been designed in section A is
integrated with the antenna array that has inter-element spacing
Figure 1. Layout 4x4 Butler matrix about half wavelength to achieve maximum gain and low
mutual coupling. Fig. 3 shows the exploded view of the Butler
From Fig. 1, the design of the Butler matrix, which matrix integrated with the antenna array. From Figure 3(a) the
provides the phase differences, is given in Table I. upper layer shows the patch antenna without conductor behind
the layer. The thickness of this layer is 1.6 mm. The top of the
TABLE I. PHASE RELATION BETWEEN PORTS AT OUTPUT OF
BUTLER FEED
second layer is the ground plane of the with dumbbell shape
Input
slots. This dumbbell shape slot or coupling aperture is used for
Output medium propagation of the electromagnetic wave from feed
Port 1 Port 2 Port 3 Port 4
line to the patch. From Figure 3(b) the back view of the design
Port 5 -45° -135° -90° -180° can be seen and shows the second layer with 0.8 mm thickness.
Port 6 -90 ° °
0 -225 °
-135° The backside of this layer contains the design of Butler matrix.
Port 7 -135° -225° 0° -90° Simulation result shows that the antenna works at 2.3 – 2.4
Port 8 -180 °
-90 °
-135 °
-45°
GHz (VSWR≤2), with bandwidth more than 100 MHz. This
Phase difference
antenna also has an isolation loss between ports below -20 dB
-45° 135° -135° 45° and has gain from 4 tob 6 dBi.
between output ports

Fig. 2(a) shows the reflection coefficient and transmission patch

coefficient of port 1 that represent the value of the other ports
because its similarity for respective input port. From this
result, it can be concluded that the bandwidth is about 500 Ground plane
MHz at the central frequency 2.35 GHz.

Coupling aperture

(a)

(a) Feed substate (h =0.8 mm)

m9
-10
m9
freq=2.350GHz
dB(S(2,1))=-26.278
-20 dB(S(3,1))=-37.066
dB(S(4,1))=-25.004
dB(S(1,2))=-26.278
dB(S(4,3))
dB(S(2,3))
dB(S(1,3))
dB(S(4,2))
dB(S(3,2))
dB(S(1,2))
dB(S(4,1))
dB(S(3,1))
dB(S(2,1))

-30 dB(S(3,2))=-25.068
dB(S(4,2))=-37.066
dB(S(1,3))=-37.066
dB(S(2,3))=-25.068 Substate (h =1.6 mm)
-40 dB(S(4,3))=-26.278

-50
2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 2.7
(b)
freq, GHz
Figure 3. Exploded view of antenna design (a) front view (b) back view
(b)
Figure 2. S-Parameter of 4x4 Butler matrix (a) Insertion loss and return loss
for port 1 (b) isolation of the input port

56
 III. RESULTS AND DISCUSSIO
ON 0
-5
The fabricated Butler matrix integrated with
w antenna array -10

Magnitude (dB)
is shown in Fig 4. Its dimension is 280x260 mm.
m -15
-20
-25
-30
-35
-40
2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6

Frequeency (GHz)
Simulated (S2,2) Measured (S2,2)
Simulated (S3,3) Measured (S3,3)

(bb)
Figure 5. Return loss for respective poort (a) when port 1 or 4 is activated (b)
when port 2 or 3 is activated

B. Isolation Losses Measurem ment

Fig. 6 shows the measurem ment result of the isolation loss
between ports in the range frequency
f 2.3 – 2.4 GHz. The
result shows that the isolationn loss for all ports is below -20
dB.
0
-10
Magnitude (dB)

-20
-30
-40
Figure 4. Fabricated Butler matrix integrated witth antenna array -50
-60
The measurement of the antenna was w conducted in -70
anechoic chamber at Department of Electtrical Engineering, 2.30 2
2.35 2.40
Faculty of Engineering, Universitas Indonesiia.
S21 S31
Freque
S41
ency (GHz)
S12 S32 S42
A. Reflection Coefficient Measurement S13 S23 S43 S14 S24 S34
The measurement result, which compaared to simulation
Figure 6. Measured Isoolation loss between port
result of the reflection coefficient, is shownn in Figure 5. The
coefficient reflection when port 1 or 4 is acctivated is -26 dB, C. Radiation Pattern Measurem ment
while when port 2 and 3 is activated is -15 dB.
d The frequency The E-field radiation pattern
p comparison between
range for this design is 2.2 – 2.4 GHz with w the impedance measurement and simulationn result of the Butler matrix
bandwidth of 200 MHz. integrated with antenna arrayy is shown in Figure 7. The
0 radiation pattern is measured at
a frequency of 2.35 GHz.
-10
Magnitude (dB)

0
-20 -20 -10 0 20 30
-30 -5 40
-40 -10 50
-30 -50 -15 60
-60 -20 70
-25
-40 -70
-30
80 Simulated
-80 -35 90
-50 -90 -40 100 Measured
-100 110
2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6
-110 120
-120 130
Frequency (GHz) -130 140 Theta vs dB
Simulated (S1,1) Simulated (S44) -140 150
-150 160
-160-170 180 170
Measured (S4,4) Measured S11
(a)
(aa)

57
 0 efficiency by using a low loss substrate instead of FR4. Phase
-20 -100 10 20
error can be mitigated by using tunable phase shifters.
-30 -5 30
-40 40
-50 -10 50
-60 -15 60 IV. CONCLUSION
-20
-70 70
-25
-80 -30 80
Simulated In this paper, the simulation and measurement result of a
-90 -35 90 Measured 4x4 Butler matrix integrated with antenna array for range
-100 100
frequency 2.3 – 2.4 GHz has been presented. The bandwidth
-110 110
-120 120
for each port is more than 100 MHz. Isolation loss in that
-130 130 Theta vs dB frequency range is from -20 dB until -62 dB. The measurement
-140
-150 150
140 result at 2.35 GHz shows that when port 1, 2, 3, or 4 is
-160-170 170160 activated, the beamwidth is 33.8°, 39.8°, 40.3°and 35.6° with
180
gain 6.11 dB, 3.94 dB, 4 dB, and 6.05 dB, respectively.
(b)
0 ACKNOWLEDGMENT
-20 -10 0 10 20
-30 -5 30
-40 40
-50 -10 50 This research was partially supported by Directorate
-60 -15 60 General of Higher Education of Ministry of Research and
-20
-70
-25
70 Technology, Republic of Indonesia Program “Hibah Penelitian
-80 -30 80
Simulated Kompetensi” with contract no : 0426/UN2.R12/HKP.05.00/
-90 -35 90 2015
-100 100 Measured
-110 110
REFERENCES
-120 120
-130 130 Theta vs dB
-140 140 [1] Milind Fernandes, Aniket Bhandare, Chetan Dessai, dan Hassanali Virani,
-150 150 “A Wideband Switched Beam Patch Antenna Array for LTE and Wi-Fi”,
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180 Annual IEEE India Conference (INDICON), 2013.
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0 [3] Siti Zuraidah Ibrahim dan Mohamad Kamal A.Rahim. “Switched Beam
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Antenna using Omnidirectional Antenna Array”, Asia-Pacific Conference
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2, Issue 1, 2010.
-80 -25 80 Simulated [5] W D. Wirth, Radar Techniques Using Array Antennas, IEE Publishers,
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180 [8] Nhi T. Pham, Gye-An Lee and Franco De Flaviis, “Microstrip Antenna
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Figure 7. Measured and simulated results of radiation pattern (a) port 1 is fed
[9] A. M. El-Tager dan M. A. Eleiwa, “Design and Implementation of a Smart
(b) port 2 is fed (c) port 3 is fed (d) port 4 is fed Antenna Using Butler Matrix for ISM-band", PIER Symposium, Beijing,
China, 23 – 27 March 2009, pp. 571-575,
Figure 7. shows the main beam direction at port 1, 2, 3, and [10] C. Tseng, C. Chen and T. Chu, "A Low-Cost 60-GHz Switched-Beam
4 is -20°, 40°, -40°, and 20°, respectively. The half power Patch Antenna Array With Butler Matrix Network", IEEE Antennas and
Wireless Propagation Letters, Vol. 7, pp.432-435, 2008.
beamwidth is 33.8°, 39.8°, 40.3° and 35.6°, respectively. [11] Zulkifli, F.Y.; Fahmi, M; Basari; Rahardjo, E.T., “Active Integrated
In addition, the antenna gain was measured from 2.3 GHz Microstrip MIMO Antenna for Gain Enhancement”. IEEE COMNETSAT.
until 2.4 GHz for all ports. From the measurement result at the 2013.
center frequency 2.35 GHz, the gain of port 1, 2, 3, and 4 are
6.11 dB, 3.94 dB, 4.01 dB, and 6.04 dB, respectively.
All of the measurement results show similar results
compared to the simulation result. The slight difference
occurred due to imperfect fabrication of the antenna. The
design can be further improved in terms of insertion losses and

58